- 2
Man Ray
Estimate
30,000 - 40,000 EUR
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Description
- Man Ray
- Untitled (Penny Farthing)
- signed Man Ray and dated 1936 (lower right)
- ink on paper
- 38.3 by 27.8 cm ; 15 by 10 7/8 in.
Provenance
Private Collection, United States
Condition
Executed on white wove paper, not laid down, fixed to the mount at two points along the upper edge. There is some light time-staining and the right edge is uneven with associated minor nicks. There are two superficial repaired tears towards the top of the composition: one 0.5 cm from the upper edge above the top of the figure, and one in the figure's 'head'. Otherwise this work is in good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Between 1936 and early 1937, Man Ray made a series of Surrealist ink drawings that are arguably the finest of his entire career, proposing humorous subjects and compositions to be deciphered by the viewer. In this drawing a headless nude rides a Victorian bicycle, named the penny farthing, likening the differing wheel size to the respective sizes of the British penny coin and its denomination known as the farthing. Man Ray is likely paying homage to Britain in 1936, a year when London hosted the International Surrealist Exhibition which he attended and a tumultuous year for the British monarchy with both the accession of Edward VII and his subsequent abdication. The nude head is portrayed as a vibrant object in motion, a likely reference to the confusion in Britain and very possibly the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.